Turkish scientists develop battery powered by sweat

A research team led by Prof. Dr. Bünyamin Şahin from the Faculty of Engineering at Necmettin Erbakan University has contributed to the development of a next-generation battery capable of generating electricity from sweat and humidity for use in wearable healthcare technologies.

Prof. Şahin conducted the TÜBİTAK-supported project, "Next-Generation Wearable Healthcare Technologies," during a 12-month research program at North Carolina State University in the United States, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

Initially involved in a single research project, the Turkish scientist's performance led to invitations to participate in two additional international research projects hosted by the university.

The new battery technology was developed through a collaboration involving researchers from North Carolina State University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rice University, and Necmettin Erbakan University.

The research paper underwent an eight-month international peer-review process before being accepted for publication in the prestigious journal Science Advances, where it has been published as an open-access article.

Battery generates power from sweat and humidity

The newly developed battery was designed as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional chemical batteries.

It can generate electricity using human sweat or ambient humidity and features a flexible design that allows it to be attached to different parts of the body for use in wearable medical devices.

Laboratory tests demonstrated that the system can monitor physiological data and transmit it wirelessly and continuously to a central system via Bluetooth.

Researchers believe the technology could become an important platform for future telemedicine and remote healthcare applications.

A new era for wearable healthcare

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Prof. Şahin said remote healthcare services will become an increasingly important part of future medical care, with wearable devices enabling continuous health monitoring.

He noted that existing wearable devices rely on rechargeable batteries or conventional chemical batteries that may harm the environment. The project's primary goal was therefore to develop a flexible, biodegradable battery that dissolves naturally without harming the environment.

According to Şahin, the battery can stretch with the body and generate its own energy from moisture or biological fluids such as sweat.

To demonstrate its practical applications, the research team integrated the battery into a heart-rate monitor, where testing confirmed it supplied all the energy required for continuous operation.

The battery can simultaneously power wearable medical devices and transmit users' physiological data to healthcare centers through Bluetooth, using only body fluids or environmental humidity as its energy source.

Technology transfer and international collaboration

Şahin emphasized that the project represents not only a scientific achievement but also an important step in technology transfer and international research collaboration.

He said working alongside leading global research groups allowed the team to combine international academic expertise with Türkiye's scientific capabilities, adding that follow-up studies are already underway.

During his research stay, Şahin also visited the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where Nobel Prize-winning Turkish scientist Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar works, and had the opportunity to meet him.

Photo: Wikipedia